This may not be a side to Ron Howard that some would take positively. At a time when American soldiers and young men were drafted to the armed forces and sent out to join the war in Vietnam, Ron Howard found ways to dodge the draft.
He really wanted to become a director, so he went to USC to study film school. He was concerned about his low draft number and the likelihood of being called out to battle, so he applied for a job at Paramount. His position in such a big company lowered his chances of going to a war he didn’t believe in. He then took part in the pilot of Love, American Style, which would soon become Happy Days.
The Fonz Should Have Been a Monkee
Looking back to the Happy Days series, one realizes how vital it was to make changes after the first two seasons. If Richie had not been replaced by “The Fonz” as the focal point of the show, it might not have lasted as long as it did.
Now, what’s worse about it, is that the role was initially thought to be filled by Monkees drummer, Micky Dolenz. The latter actually read for the role and came close to snagging it, but he was eventually turned down. Luckily, Henry Winkler’s shorter stature made him more of a physical fit for the role of Arthur Fonzarelli because we certainly can’t imagine anyone else filling The Fonz’s shoes now!
Henry Winkler
Now that the Monkee's drummer was out of the picture, and Henry Winkler was the actor pushed for the role of “The Fonz,” things were expected to go on smoothly, but- Winkler could not even read six lines in his dialogue because he is dyslexic, and every written word kept jumbling in his mind.
Henry Winkler remained calm and resorted to using his own words to fill in instead. That way, he was able to convince the casting directors that he was giving them a real feel for the character. This impressed them, and they were coaxed into giving him a pivotal role that would last for 11 seasons.
The Cast Members Are Still Close 'Til This Day
Perhaps one of the best legacies Happy Days left us with throughout the years are the relationships it fostered among its cast. The show wasn’t just about the good old days of the 50s, and its didactic effect on its viewers regarding life’s values. They walked the talk, so to speak.
By and large, the Happy Days cast themselves showed us what it means to be loyal to each other. They became very good friends outside the set, and beyond its airing. One example of this is Henry Winkler and Marion Ross. They have become such good friends that even up to this day Winkler sends Marion bunches of flowers for no reason other than to make her smile.
Henry Winkler Was Business Smart
Henry Winkler has proven himself to be a very good actor. How he turned around the fate of the Happy Days series was truly remarkable, to say the least. But he also showed how astute he can be when it comes to making financial decisions.
At the peak of the TV sitcom, with Winkler playing the lead role as the Fonz, he found himself in the perfect position to demand a much higher salary. However, he opted to go for a moderate pay in exchange for a percentage of the proceeds of the show’s syndication profits. From there, he was able to build his net worth which is now estimated to be around $35 million.